Knife crime needs serious punishment?

[Rositaso]

AIBU to think this is an absolute epidemic now and something needs to be done?

Police need greater random stop and search powers and there should be dedicated juvenile facilities for those carrying a knife.

Found with a knife? Automatic 12 month sentence in a juvie facility.

I know people will say 'where will the money come from?' but so many people are dying.

We need to change the culture around it.

Maybe even try and change the narrative in a way that young men will take heed off, like you're a coward to carry a knife sort of thing?

We managed to ban and get rid of guns successfully. Obviously knives are already illegal to carry but I feel like in some places it's quite normal for kids to have knives on them for 'protection '

Obviously I'm just someone looking in from the outside, but I have teens and it's just scary how often a simple altercation can turn to murder.

When I was a social researcher back in a previous life, the same was being said then. It needs to be a community effort and a social change movement, and a huge focus on raising aspirations and ability to fulfil them. Many of these young men aren’t deterred by prison: it’s glamorised in the sort of media they see, by many of the musicians they look up to, they’ve already had numerous relatives and friends pass through it. They have low aspirations, they feel socially excluded. Prison isn’t some sort of scary unknown quantity like it is for the average MNer.

I used to think its down to the parents. My kids always communicates with me open about where they were happy for me to check up on them. Happy for me to have contact with the parent. Thry never got onto any form of trouble.

But 1 of my children went of the rails I had no control at all he's 6ft 4 much bigger than me. I basically had no control. He never carried a knife. Not in gangs he's a loner to be honest. But he would put himself in danger. I know that's not the same but im saying he could have got into a gang or knife crime. Groomed for county lines. I'm lucky he did not. Other parents are not so lucky and I should imagine it's awful for them.

If you have 4 kids 3 are fine. One gos of the rails is that really the parents fault. They need support.

Well my 18 year old is a catering student and can't take his chef knives to and from college unless I drive him in case he gets caught. He takes it very seriously

Lack of role models/lack of fathers.

Lack of discipline.
Too much violence in society.
Prison isn't hard enough.
People aren't scared of going there.

Prison isn't a soft option. I think it CAN be a deterrent